Refrigerator shelf structure



Jul 1s," i'935.;

N. w. SCHMIDT REFRIGERATOR SHELF STRUCTURE Filed July 30, 1931 :ATI'ORNEYS I I Patented July 16, 1935 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATOR SHELF STRUCTURE Norman W. Schmidt, Dayton, Ohio, assignor, by

mesne assignments, to- General Motors Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application July 30, 1931, Serial No. 554,057

2 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerator shelf structure, and more particularly to means for conserving useful space within. a refrigerator cabinet.

One of the problems in designing a, refrigerator cabinet has been to provide a proper space for the storing of tall articles therein. These tall articles areordinarily few in number and usually consist of bottles. If the shelving is spaced wide enough to accommodate these tall articles, much useful space is lost because the majority of the articles stored within the refrigerator are relatively small in height compared to the tall articles, and many cannot be stacked and placed one on top of the other.

Accordingly, the objects of my invention include the provision of means for utilizing the space within a refrigerator cabinet to'provide additional shelf area in a refrigerator cabinet to increase the amount of provisions which may be storedtherein, and to provide means for storing tall articles such as bottles without reducing the number of shelves, without having a large distance between the shelf on which the tall articles are stored and the shelf immediately above, without altering the desirablespacing of the shelves and without occupying useful shelf area.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, wherein a preferred form of the present inventionis clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet embodying one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a refrigerator shelf shown in Fig. 1, and I Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a refrigerator shelf embodying a form of the invention.

For the purpose of illustration, I have shown my invention as applied to a mechanically cooled refrigerator cabinet 20 having a machinery compartment 2| in its lower portion and a food storagecompwrtment 22 in its upperportion. The food storage compartment is preferably cooled by a cooling unit 23 situated in an upper corner of the compartment. Shelves 24, 25,- and 26 are suitably spaced in a vertical direction within the compartment for providing a place whereon to lay and store provisions. These shelves are so closely spaced that tall articles, such as tall bottles, cannot be stored in an upright position thereon. These shelves are formed of a rectangular wire frame 21 upon'which transverse cross bars'28, preferably of wire, are provided. These cross I the front and rear bars 28 aresuitably spaced across the rectangular frame 2'] and have their endswelded to the front and rear portions of the frame ill.

According to the present invention, I have provided a sub-shelf 3B for supporting the tall articles in a horizontal position. This sub-shelf 30 is preferably removable and constructed so that it may be suspended fromone of the shelves in the cabinet and readily removed. In this way none of the useful shelf space will be taken and the space within the food storage compartment will be conserved. This sub-shelf comprises a pair of U-shaped wire members 3| and 32,'of which the front U'-shaped member has its upper ends turned forward in the form of hooks which hook over the front edge of the rectangular wire frame member 2'! of the shelf 26. The rear U- shaped member has its upper ends turned outwardly and laterally of the sub-shelf. The hook 34 at the left side of the rear U-shaped member 32 is of a relatively small width and hooks over one of the cross bars 28 of the shelf 26. A second hook 35 of the rear U-shaped member also extends outwardly and is supported upon another of the cross bars 28. This hook, however, is made wider than the hook 34 so thatthis wideness may .take care of any variation in the spacing of the cross bars 28.. Preferably this hook is very nearly as wide as the space of the cross bar so that it may fit any shelf with any spacing of the cross bars.

Connecting the bottom portions of the front and rear U-shaped' wire members 3| and 32 are the connecting bars 33 which extend longitudinally of the sub-shelf in spaced relation providing a supporting surface for the sub-shelf. These connecting bars 33 have their ends attached, preferably by welding or other suitable means to U-shaped wire members 3| and 32. 1

Wire bars also extend around the sides of the sub-shelf for preventing the articles stored thereon from falling off. The wire bars 36 connect the sides of the front and rear U-shaped frame members 3| and 32 for providing a-guard upon the sides of the sub-shelf, while the bars 3'! connect the sides of the rear frame member 32 for providing a rear guard for the sub-shelf and for preventing articlesfrom falling ofi the rear portion of the sub-shelf. The front portion of the sub-shelf is, however, left open so that articles may be inserted upon the sub-shelf from this end.

With this sub-shelf tall articles may be placed thereon in a horizontal position. In Figs. 1 and 2, 55

the tall bottles 38 are shown stored upon the. sub-shelf 30 in horizontal position. Since the portion of the food storage compartment immediately beneath each of the shelves is seldom occupied by provisions, the storage of tall articles there does nottake any of the useful space of the food storage compartment and yet provides a space for the storage of tall articles which would otherwise require that a wide spacing of one of the shelves be provided. While primarily intended for tall articles, others may be stored upon the sub-shelf if desired. In this manner the space within the food storage compartment is conserved andyet a space is provided for tall articles.

While the sub-shelf has been described as made of wire, other materials such as pressed steel or even wood may be used. Other forms of supporting the sub-shelf may also be used.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms'might be adopted, all coming within the scope'of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A refrigerator sub-shelf for supporting tall articles in a horizontal position including a rectangular supporting member providing a sup porting surface for articles, and means extending upwardly at the front and rear portions of said supporting member, said means having hooks at the upper ends, the hooks at the one end extending longitudinally of the supporting member, the hooks at the other end extending transversely of the supporting member, one of said last mentioned hooks being particularly wide'for facilitatingthe connection of said hooks to a shelf above the supporting surface.

2. A- refrigerator sub-shelf for supporting tall articles in a horizontal position including a rectangular supporting member providing a supporting surface for articles, and means-extending upwardly at the frontand rear portions of said supporting member, said means having hooks at the upper ends, the hooks at one end extending longitudinally of the supporting member for detachably connecting to a transverse supporting member, the hooks at the other end extending transversely of the supporting member for detachably connecting to longitudinal Su orting member.

NORMAN W. SCHMIDT. 

